Suchergebnisse

Why did Russian governors unexpectedly acquiesce to centralizing reforms undertaken by Vladimir Putin? Interviews with regional and central politicians and an analysis of speeches during 1990–2009 reveal that interests alone cannot account for the presence or absence of governors'
political action. Understanding governors' (in)action requires uncovering the grounds for its justification and legitimation. The enabling role of the discourse, fusing the ideas of democracy and federalism, propelled autonomous behavior on the part of regional elites. The shift in the dominant
discursive frame that occurred in Russia under the leadership of Putin brought to prominence the idea of strengthening state power, thus making defiant and autonomy-seeking behavior by regional elites untenable.

This study examines federal reforms in Putin's Russia under the framework of principal-agent model. It establishes the rationale and intended outcomes of these reforms and then describes their real consequences. The main findings bear on the nature of changes in the gubernatorial body, regional political regimes and the new challenges for the regime emerging from these reforms. The study demonstrates that (i) most governors survived this change in the first four years after the reform; (ii) the elimination of gubernatorial elections undermined political competition in the regions, forcing it away from public sphere to less transparent venues and (iii) new problems emerged as a result of reforms, particularly, the need for a systematic mechanism of cadre formation and the problem of moral hazard.

This study examines federal reforms in Putin's Russia under the framework of principal-agent model. It establishes the rationale and intended outcomes of these reforms and then describes their real consequences. The main findings bear on the nature of changes in the gubernatorial body, regional political regimes and the new challenges for the regime emerging from these reforms. The study demonstrates that (i) most governors survived this change in the first four years after the reform; (ii) the elimination of gubernatorial elections undermined political competition in the regions, forcing it away from public sphere to less transparent venues and (iii) new problems emerged as a result of reforms, particularly, the need for a systematic mechanism of cadre formation and the problem of moral hazard. Adapted from the source document.